Veteran fast-bowler James Anderson, who turns 41 during the fifth Test, has retained his place in the playing eleven despite taking only four wickets in his three Tests of the series so far.
Stuart Broad will also play at The Oval, making him the only England bowler to play all five matches of the Ashes, with Chris Woakes overcoming a soreness issue in his quadriceps to be fit to play in the fifth Ashes Test.
Australia have retained the Ashes with the fourth Test at Old Trafford ending in a draw due to rain on day five’s play. The result means that the Ashes urn will be headed back to Australia after this series ends.
The Ben Stokes-led side was in a dominant position for the majority of the match but was denied a crack at victory due to rain not allowing any play to happen on Day Five. It’s also the first time that England have played a draw under Stokes’ leadership.
England will now be hoping to win the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval and push for a 2-2 draw to end the series on a high. Australia, after being on the backfoot at Manchester, will now have a chance to go for a series win in England for the first time since 2001.
England’s next assignment in Test cricket after the conclusion of the Ashes will be a five-match tour of India from January 25 to March 11 in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamshala.
England’s playing eleven: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (captain), Harry Brook, Jonathan Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood James Anderson and Stuart Broad
–IANS
nr/bsk
